Architecture competition "Iceland Northern Lights Rooms" Student prize winner - Politechnika Śląska

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winner of the Student prize of our “Iceland Northern Lights Rooms” competition - Magdalena Pająk from Poland!

Magdalena Pająk from Poland

Currently I’m finishing my university degree. I have been studying Architecture at Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. Even though I am only 25 years old, I have a few years of experience. I work as an architect in a company called Rafał Drobczyk Ltd. in Gliwice. Studying and working at the same time allowed me to gain broad knowledge and acquire various skills. Moreover, it confirmed me in the conviction that I should work as an architect.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where company/ individuals have been involved?

Both at univerisity and at work I have been able to work on residential, public and industrial architecture. It seems to me that the scale is not the most important factor since I am usually focused on the users. 

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture of need is a slogan of my company (Rafał Drobczyk), but it also describes my attitude towards architecture. I am convinced that architecture ought to be concentrated on the needs of our clients, investors and people in general. However, standards of good architecture and the context of a place are equally important. Consequently, a good designer should take all those factors into consideration.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

I participate in architecture vision competitions because they allow me to use my original ideas in architectural designs. I am sure that developing my imagination has improved the quality of my daily work in the office. 

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture vision competitions?

In my opinion, everyone ought to try taking part in such competitions since they allow us to develop our imagination. It also makes solving different issues at work much easier, even those issues which appear during project implementation. What is more, I really enjoy participating in architecture vision competitions and they give me much satisfaction.